This keto pumpkin flan is silky, smooth, and creamy. It features a perfectly clear, amber-colored caramel sauce and the flavors of fall.
It’s a Cuban pumpkin flan, a flan de calabaza, and it will make your keto pumpkin season delicious!
Being able to share a creamy, low-carb pumpkin flan recipe that makes pumpkin puree the star will be the perfect ending to your holiday meals.
I could recreate both the flavor and texture of a Cuban flan de calabaza and make it keto-friendly by swapping out a few key ingredients.
With only 2.5 net carbs per serving, it’s a seasonal keto flan recipe that can fit your low-carb diet macros without issue.
Compared to traditional flans, which can have over 36 total carbs, sugar-free flan makes the perfect keto dessert.
Even your Abuela will gladly enjoy this keto pumpkin dessert. If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is?!?
I have a recipe for keto Cuban flan that mimics this classic dessert beautifully and that you should also make. Also, check out our Keto Cuban Recipes for more flavorful options!
And as a fan of all things pumpkin, you should also visit our entire collection of keto pumpkin recipes.
Keto Pumpkin Flan
Are you unfamiliar with flan? It’s also known as crème caramel. It’s a creamy custard similar to crème brulee but with a firmer texture.
In this recipe, pumpkin puree and fall spices are added to make it a seasonal treat.
What sets it apart is that it features a caramel sauce (sugar-free caramel sauce) that is baked along with the custard.
Then, when the low-carb flan is thoroughly chilled, it’s turned upside down over a plate; the clear amber sauce should ooze out well over the top and sides of the pumpkin flan.
Flan is a typical dessert in the Hispanic, Filipino, and Mexican communities.
This keto leche calabaza flan is a sugar-free pumpkin spice flan that passes for its high-carb counterpart. It’s a flan that you’ll be proud to serve all pumpkin season long!
Think of it as a keto pumpkin custard that will quench your cravings.
Ingredients Needed For Keto Pumpkin Flan
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The following are the ingredients you’ll need to make a low-carb flan de calabaza. Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page.
Low-Carb Pumpkin Flan
- Room temperature eggs
- Egg yolks, room temperature
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar substitute
- Heavy whipping cream
- Pumpkin puree
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin spice
- Salt
Caramel Sauce (Keto Creme Caramel)
- Unsalted room-temperature butter
- Allulose sweetener
- Salt
How To Make A Cuban Keto Pumpkin Flan
Note that the full printable recipe card for this healthy pumpkin flan is detailed in the ingredient amounts, and nutritional information is at the bottom of the post.
To make this recipe, you’ll need to begin by making the clear amber caramel sauce first on the stovetop by browning the butter and using allulose sugar-substitute. as the sweetener.
The caramel sauce is added to the flanera to coat the bottom and sides before adding the creme custard. You can also make this flan recipe in 6 ramekins, six mini bundt pans, one large 9×5 inch loaf pan, or even a 9-inch cake pan.
The batter for the pumpkin flan comes together easily by gently whisking the eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar substitute of choice, and vanilla until combined.
The key is to remember not to over-whisk the mixture to prevent foam from forming by whisking too vigorously. The foam will cause air pockets to form and mess with the creamy texture a true flan should have.
What Is A Flanera Pan?
After you’ve poured the pumpkin custard evenly among the container of your choice, you’ll bake the flans in a baking dish that is filled with about 1 inch of hot water, a bain-marie.
Cooking the flans in a hot water bath is key to getting the silkiest texture and avoiding the risk of overbaking.
You also do not want to overbake it, as that will cause bubbles. This means you will want to take the flan out of the oven when it is just set.
The top of the flan will be smooth, and the outside edges and corners will be firm, but the center will still jiggle, similar to gelatin.
If you make flans often, you might want to invest in a flanera pan. It’s a flan pan made of stainless steel and has a metal top with solid metal clasps that make it easier to use when using a Bain Marie.
Although not necessary, a flanera gives consistent results and makes it easier to store the flan once it is done.
Chilling And Unmolding The Keto Pumpkin Flan
Once the pumpkin keto flan is allowed to cool to room temperature, you will need to chill it for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
After the flan has had time to cool completely, it can be unmolded.
The easiest way to remove the flan from the container you chose to bake it in is to carefully run a knife along the edges of the flan and then place the container in about an inch of hot water.
Then, place a plate over the container and quickly flip the plate so that the flan unmolds. The hot water will release the flan easily once they are flipped onto your plate.
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At this point, you’ll pour the caramel syrup over the top of the flan and allow it to go over the sides for a more classic taste.
Best Low-Carb Sweetener For A Sugar-Free Pumpkin Flan
I knew that getting the pumpkin custard wouldn’t be too challenging. I simply swapped the traditional condensed and evaporated milk for heavy cream and used a granulated low-carb sugar- substitute.
For the pumpkin custard, I used Lakanto monk fruit as the sweetener because it’s my favorite, but you can use Swerve granulated sugar substitute, which is an erythritol blend.
Similar to Lakanto, it uses sugar alcohols and has a 0 % impact on blood sugar. This is a major plus when doing a keto diet.
I wouldn’t say I like using stevia because I am sensitive to the aftertaste. But if that’s not the case for you, you could certainly use the stevia and erythritol-based brand Pyure for this recipe.
However, if you go this route, you will want to use half the amount called for in this recipe since it’s much sweeter.
Lastly, if you can’t easily find a more natural sugar substitute, you can also use Splenda, with great success.
Sugar Substitute For The Caramel Sauce
When it came to the clear caramel sauce, it proved to be a little more challenging and took a couple of tries.
Unlike regular sugar, which makes it easy to make caramel sauce, the use of keto sweeteners can be tricky.
What I found is that most sugar substitutes will crystalize once the flan has chilled, and that is NOT what I wanted.
I was looking to recreate the clear almìba sauce that stayed runny.
After testing several sweeteners, I landed on an allulose sweetener as the best choice. It made the perfect low-carb caramel sauce with zero crystallization issues.
The sweetness of allulose is about 70% sugar or erythritol, and that’s why I use a little more in the recipe.
If you are wondering if you could use erythritol for the caramel sauce, you could, but it will seize as it cools, and the texture will be off.
It really is worth using the allulose sweetener to ensure you get that classic, clear caramel sauce that is distinct in an authentic flan.
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I really hope you will give this sugar-free pumpkin flan a try and give your holiday meals a Spanish twist.
It would be a nice option to serve your guests a delicious pumpkin flan that tastes like regular flan. It really is an elegant dessert!
If you give it a try, make sure you remember to tag us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. It’s what encourages us to keep sharing and perfecting our recipes.
Be sure to also visit our Keto Hispanic Food for more Latin recipes!
Also, check out our Amazon Store for our recommendations. You might be surprised by how many great keto options are at your disposal.
Grab Our Books!
In case you don’t know, I have authored two books for you, Essential Keto Bread and Essential Keto Desserts, both inspired by your requests over the years.
I pray these keto cookbooks will help make keto a delicious breeze for you.
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To say we needed God’s intervention is putting it mildly. When we followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting, we got on the path to real transformation.
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Keto Pumpkin Flan
This keto pumpkin flan is silky smooth, creamy, and features a perfectly clear, amber-colored caramel sauce and the flavors of fall. It's a Cuban keto pumpkin flan, a flan de calabaza.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- 15 ounces of pumpkin purée (can)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice or 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
- 3 room temperature eggs
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups of heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Clear Caramel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted room temperature butter
- 1 cup of Alluose
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease the pan (pans) you will be using with melted butter.
- Caramel clear sauce: In a small saucepan, lightly brown the butter over medium-high heat being sure to stir constantly with a silicone spatula.
- Once the butter begins to foam and lightly bubble for about 3-4 minutes and you see flecks of brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and continue to stir. The butter will continue to brown, once it does you'll add the allulose sweetener and place it back on the stove to cook for another 3-5 minutes until the sweetener completely dissolves and turns a golden amber color.
- Pour the caramel sauce into the prepared pan (pans) being sure to swirl the sauce so it covers the bottom and the sides.
- Place the filled pan into a baking pan with a rim that allows for hot water to be added for the bain-marie.
- Keto Pumpkin Flan: In a large bowl using an electric mixer combine the granulated sweetener, softened cream cheese, and pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, salt, and spices.
- To this mixture add the eggs and egg yolk and combine well using a whisk. Then gently add the heavy whipping cream. Avoid creating bubbles when you whisk so that the custard maintains its velvety texture.
- Pour the pumpkin flan mixture through a fine sieve before adding to the prepared pan or ramekins.
- Place the pan with the flan pan into the oven and carefully pour enough hot water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the flan pan.
- Bake for about 40 minutes if making one flan, The flan will be ready when the edges are set and firm and the center of the flan is lightly set. The flan should slightly jiggle in the center similar to gelatin when set. Do not overbake the pumpkin flan to avoid bubbles from forming. See notes if baking in smaller sizes.
- Transfer the flan to a cooling rack and allow it to cool at room temperature for about 20-25 minutes before transferring the flan to the refrigerator to refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.
- Once the pumpkin flan is ready to serve, use a knife to gently go around the edges of the flan pan to help it release easier. Then place the pan in a bowl of hot water to help release the flan from the flan pan.
- To unmold the flan, place a plate over the top of the flan pan and flip it over to the plate. You may need to slightly wiggle the pan to ease it out.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
The baking instructions are for one flan. If you want to divide into 6 individual ramekins, bake the flans for 30-35 minutes instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 25.9gSaturated Fat: 14.8gCholesterol: 240mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 2.5gNet Carbohydrates: 2.5gFiber: 0gSugar: 0.8gProtein: 5.1g
Ai Z
Tuesday 29th of October 2024
Why doesn't the custard also use allulose? Why only the sauce?
Hilda Solares
Tuesday 29th of October 2024
Hi Aizek, It was a personal choice not to add allulose in the custard because I wanted it a little sweeter but you can certainly add it to the the custard. What I don't recommend is swapping the allulose in the sauce because it's the only sweetener that worked without seizing. Enjoy!
Annette Perez
Saturday 27th of November 2021
I made sure to cover the pans with aluminum foil. I didn't see that in this recipe, but it's a step I usually take with flan.
Also, I divided the recipe into two loaf pans so that it would fit in a 13x9" pan. This increased my cooking time to 1hr and 40 mins.
Really looking forward to trying it! It looks great so far!!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hilda Solares
Wednesday 8th of December 2021
Sounds like it turned out great for you Annette!